Category: kayaks

Brian Schulz has given an in debt run down of his excellent all around kayak. I confess I have neither surfed nor rolled this boat. Perhaps this summer? However, it remains my favorite boat for getting to the water quickly and travelling with efficiency. Paired with a Greenland paddle, this light little ship is a joy to play in. I highly recommended it from this end.

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Brian Schulz has summarized in video format the building of my favorite kayak. This one I built for my wife in hopes she’ll use it this Spring. More than any of “our” boats, it has provided the easiest path to appreciating what’s simple and real along the water’s edge. Indeed, so much so, that I’m tempted to build the stretched LPB version. Here’s a wonderful record demonstrating the beautiful art in constructing this elegant craft. The F1 (with a greenland paddle) has made this diversion pure pleasure.

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Escaped the desk for quick paddle today: 30 minutes down the James and 45 back. I may have paused 3 minutes at most the entire time. The F-1 kayak is so easy to keep moving. All along the way, turtles were soaking up the warm day. All were quick to drop from their perch before we got too close. They’ve a keen sense of hearing (or smell? I did shower this morning). Most had shells the size of dinner plates. Eastern River Cooters I think. Not sure where the little ones were. Maybe at school?

turtles backed upsnag and kayak

Here’s last week’s journey up the James and into the western end of Tuckahoe Creek. I had hoped to discover the eastern end today, but time didn’t allow. That will have to be for another day.

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I’ve built kayaks using cedar strips, stitch and glue plywood, fuselage framed skin-on-frame, and now, steam bent skin-on-frame. I think this last method is my favorite. The translucent skin highlights the ribs and stringers like a japanese lantern. The beauty of line and construction are displayed so openly. With a new lighter western red cedar paddle, this little boat tracks along almost effortlessly. Brian Schulz designed a nice one here. I can tell I’ll use this one a lot. Kabloona!

Yanking the cover back over the aft stem was a bear. I used the 2.5″ cloth length recommended in the CF video. This worked once I planed off the coating from the aft stem. The coating caused the cloth to stick.

Tightened the after deck with tarred twine and then sewed welting into center with nylon string. Note: the staggered stitching as demo’d in the SK video makes a big difference in appearance. I actually sewed this twice as some puckers remained.

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DAY 14: (4 hrs)

Sewed front deck up and set the cockpit ring on.

The ballistic nylon is quite tight. Some heat shrinking with an iron on “nylon” cinched the last bit of wrinkles out.

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DAYS 15-16 and eventually 18: (11 hrs)

Hooped the bottom (3 coats) and a week later, the deck (also 3 coats). Chasing the runs down was not too successful. Using a kerosene heater raised the temp to 65 degrees, but maybe warmer would have helped. Otherwise, I followed Spiritline’s coating videos to a tee. Somewhat dissappointed, I called to report the results. The owner tells me they no longer use the video’s method or the scraper included with the urethane! Instead they use “hot dog” rollers. Thanks for nothing! Nonetheless the boat stil passes the 6′ rule. I’d love to hang her with lighting in the house when not used. She’s a Japanese lantern of sorts.

I added a teaspoon of rare earth pigment to temper the harsher urethane. UV also tends to yellow the coating, but I wanted to accelerate the appearance. I’m happy with the result there.

Screwed a 12″ length of teak on the tail for a skid.

Bought some latigo leather belt material and cut it into 1/4″ strips for tie-downs and stem handles. Pulling the strips through a 7/32″ hole in a block of wood eases the edges. Will add tie-downs in middle of boat later. Had to get this one in the water.

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This final post took forever. The cold weather hadn’t encouraged completion. However, my youngest boy and I splashed the boat today. Will post video later. This may be my favorite kayak yet. The translucent shell and visible ribs accent the beautiful lines. Despite all the runs and drips, this little kayak has the wonderful look of craftsmanship, the touch of the hand. I love it. A nice light rowboat build could easily use this construction. Hmmm.

steamed oak strips for coaming. The sharp forward nose of the coaming kept breaking. Will add a block for this and tie coaming into it.

used ringed bronze boat nails to hold rim together.

ordered ballistic nylon and 2 part urethane coating.

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DAY 11: (5 hrs)

decided to add some floor slats. I wish I had added them in the few SOF fuselage kayaks we’ve built. I don’t want to stretch or distort the skin once applied. This may be particularly a problem where your heels contact the hull. These were thinner than the ribs, but spanning only 6″ between ribs. Lashed in, the floors should provide additional rigidity.

the fabric and goo have arrived. Must wait for the boat soup to dry. Should have added some japan drier. By the time we can get back to the project, all should be dry.

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DAY 12: (4 hrs)

decided to remove the outer most floor slats. They will telegraph and distort the bottom, not by much, but I don’t want to increase drag.

installed the foot pegs. These are the best of the 3 I’ve now used: Harmony Sidelock Footbrace System. I’ve through bolted them after checking their location by sitting in the kayak. I like the ease at which they can be adjusted and the rounded edges of the pegs themselves. I have also used both Sea-lect and Attwood adjustable pegs, but I prefer the Harmony so far.

drilled all the holes in the gunnels for leather tie downs and stem grab holds.

added a plastic deck hook under the foredeck for bungee cords to hold a bilge pump, water bottle, thermos or whatever.

put on the last coat of “soup”. This time using Japan Drier in the mix. That gets the drying moving.

placed soaked ribs in sets of 3 in steam. Added a pair after using a limbered up pair. This kept work flow going.

Rib 16 splintered. Rib 1 in the bow broke 3 times. I used 1/4″ oak, 3/16″ oak, then bamboo and finally created a “V” shaped rib from previous broken ribs. Pre-soaking the ribs seemed to help prepare the ribs vs. placing the ribs dry into the steam box.

Once the ribs were in place, I removed several of the molds. Removal required cutting some in half.

I’m glad I had the molds for reference. A 1/4″ difference in proper rib length can distort the hull shape.

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DAY 8: (4.5 hrs)

drilled and pinned 1/8″ dowels into ribs at mortices.

discovered several ribs had cracked or frayed at the keel line. Lacking enough spare material, I milled more, cut it to lengths and steamed to put in place. That rib #2 took 2 tries.

removing the molds and flipping the kayak, I lashed the keel first. Then each chine afterwards.